EU Probes Musk's X Over Grok AI Sexual Deepfakes

The European Union has launched a formal investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X (formerly Twitter) regarding its Grok AI chatbot, developed by xAI, over concerns that it may be disseminating illegal content, including manipulated sexualized images and non-consensual deepfakes in the EU.

The European Commission announced the probe on Monday, focusing on whether X adequately evaluated and addressed risks associated with Grok's features across the 27-member bloc, in compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA). This law mandates major online platforms to combat illegal and harmful content more effectively.

EU Tech Chief Henna Virkkunen stated: “Non-consensual sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation.” She added that the investigation will assess if X has fulfilled its legal duties under the DSA or if it has treated the rights of European citizens—including women and children—as secondary to its operations.

The scrutiny follows reports of Grok generating sexualized images of women and minors, which prompted widespread alarm among regulators globally. Earlier this month, the Commission described AI-generated undressed images of women and children shared on X as unlawful and appalling.

In response, X referenced a January 14 statement from xAI noting that it had limited Grok's image-editing capabilities for users and restricted the generation of images depicting people in revealing clothing in jurisdictions where such actions are illegal (though specific countries were not named).

While these adjustments were noted positively, EU officials indicated they do not fully mitigate the systemic risks. A senior Commission official explained that there are grounds to believe X failed to conduct a required ad hoc risk assessment prior to deploying Grok's functionalities in Europe.

Violations of the DSA can result in fines of up to 6% of a company's global annual revenue. The probe also expands an existing investigation opened in December 2023 into X's recommender systems, now including the recent shift to a Grok-based system. Regulators warned that X could face interim measures if significant changes are not implemented. (X previously received a €150 million fine in December for transparency breaches under the DSA.)

Separately, the UK's media regulator Ofcom initiated its own inquiry earlier this month into X's compliance with the Online Safety Act.

This development could heighten tensions with the incoming Trump administration in the US, as EU actions against Big Tech have drawn criticism and tariff threats from American officials. [Based on Reuters reporting]